Doru Costache - Approaching the Christian Worldview

8/8/2019 Doru Costache - Approaching the Christian Worldview

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Approaching the Christian Worldviewwith St. Basil the Great

Aspects Relevant to Current Conversations

in Science and Theology

Revd. DORU COSTACHE

St. Andrews Greek Orthodox Theological College,

Sydney College of Divinity, Australia

Beyond the outdated character of some of its aspects, the traditionalChristian depiction of reality still offers surprises, representing a vastlyignored, yet truly inspirational accomplishment in the history of scienceand theology. St. Basil the Greats notorious contributions can undoubt-edly be considered as the pinnacle of such efforts and achievements.Misinterpreted and oversimplified at times (like in Lindberg [2002], p. 50),St. Basils worldview nevertheless represents a landmark for the spirit inwhich the Orthodox Church has traditionally interacted with the scientificculture of the late antiquity. The purpose of this essay is to point out a fewfacets of St. Basils contributions to the Christian worldview and their

possible relevance to current attempts to bridge the traditional and thescientific representations of reality.

The world as a Theological School:Homilies on the Hexaemeron

It is perhaps a truism to state once more how St. Basil offered in hisHexaemeron, whose date of publication is still disputed, a gem ofChristian scholarship. The great Cappadocian displayed a breadth of pro-fane knowledge (Copleston [2007], p. 29) which he interpreted in light

Transdisciplinarity in Science and Religion Curtea Veche Publ., 2009

No. 6 / 2009, pp. 45-56


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of the ecclesial faith in an endeavour to provide his audience andreadership with a comprehensive depiction of created reality, heavenlyand earthly, human and biological, astronomical and mineral. It shouldbe noted that this descriptive approach, as impressive as it might havebeen for his first audience and up until the dawn of modernity, could notbe upheld as St. Basils major contribution. The ancient representation ofthe created realm, on which theHexaemeron heavily depends, has becomeoutdated in fact, and together with it the scientific knowledge illustrated by the saints analysis of the natural world. Nevertheless, his realisticassessment of the natural decay or mortality of creation (Hexaemeron, 1.3,PG 29, 9C), also his sense of wonder for the fine tuning of the universesparameters (Hexaemeron, 1.1, PG 29, 4A) together with the ethical para-

digms that can be inferred from various animal behaviours (Hexaemeron,9.3, PG 29, 192B-196B), represent tremendous intuitions and an inspira-tion for all time. Furthermore, when considered within the framework ofthe contemporary anthropic cosmological principle (Barrow & Tipler[1986], pp. 16-20), his point on the interconnected character of human andcosmic realities, both ontologically and teleologically (Hexaemeron, 1.4,PG 29, 12BC), remains valid.

There are, however, some other important aspects theological innature that should not be overlooked, given their perennial relevance

to the ecclesial worldview and experience. In fact, these theological fea-tures constitute the outstanding contribution of the great Cappadocian,demonstrating the capacity of our Christian representation of reality topeacefully coexist and interact in history with the shifting cultural pat-terns or cosmological paradigms (cf. Lossky [2002], p. 106). This coexistenceis possible only insofar as all parties acknowledge the descriptive charac-ter of scientific cosmology and, respectively, the interpretive character ofthe theological worldview. St. Basils Hexaemeron abundantly illustratessuch discernment.

One among the most relevant aspects undoubtedly is St. Basils

assessment of the world as being what can be construed as a theologicalschool or, literally, a teaching ground (*4*"F6"8g\@< 6" B"4*gLJZD4@<

Hexaemeron, 1.5, PG 29, 13B). This approach seems to be consistent withhis understanding of the Genesis narrative of creation as a pedagogicalstory. Thus, in the first of the two homilies attributed to him (On the Originof Humanity, 17), the Cappadocian states: The story of human makingconstitutes education for our lives ( FJ@D\" JH z"


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Without dwelling on the significance of the theme of the world as a school,similar conclusions are drawn by Bouteneff ([2008], p. 136). The Basilianapproach seems to reiterate an Origenist theme as illustrated by Ori-gens own elaborations on the contemplation of physical reality (Louth[1983], pp. 59-61) though rendered on a very positive note, purified ofany pessimistic appraisal of the world as a transitory place of punishment.This positive approach might indicate the Cappadocians dependenceon the canonical version of the Alexandrian tradition, as represented bySt. Athanasius the Great. For St. Athanasius, the whole creation constitutesa divine syntax, each thing, living or not, representing a written character.All these letters convey within the book of the universe one theo-logical message. In his own words,

The knowledge of God (J< BgD J@ 1g@ (


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He addressed the atheist perspective by criticizing the incapacity ofmany pagan cosmologies to appreciate the beauty of creation as indica-tive to the universes vocation of participating in the life of God, for allthe ages (Hexaemeron, 3.8, PG 29, 73C). One way or the other, along with itsOrigenist and Platonic overtones that is the perception of the visiblerealm as designed to guide the souls toward the invisible (Louth [1983],pp. 2-6, 60-61) the idea of a purposeful and theologically meaningfulcreation is evident in the following paragraph, where the theme of theschool emerges again:

the cosmos has not been conceived vainly and without rea-son4, given that it is assembled for some beneficial purposeand the great use of all beings. Thus, since it truly is a teachingground for the reasoning souls (RLP< 8@(46< *4*"F6"-8g@


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The creation (B@\0F4H)5 of the heavens and earth must be con-veyed not as having happened spontaneously ("J@:VJTH),

as some have imagined, but as having its cause ("J\"


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let us stop talking about the essence (BgD Jy0H @F\"H) [of things], sincewe have been persuaded by Moses that God created heavens and the earth

(Hexaemeron

, 1.11, PG 29, 28A).8

For him, to contemplate the cosmosinvolves the effort to discern, through and behind its intricate structure,what creation is by rapport to God and what creation tells of its creator.Within the traditional framework of the Church, these aspects are neces-sary prerequisites for an accurate and holistic representation of reality.

Doubled by the heartless logic pertaining to economy, the scientificanalysis of nature and phenomena can suffocate the souls, deprivingthem of the necessary sense of awe for the beauty and meaning of things.By contrast, for the faiths contemplative eyes the universe truly anartistic structure (JgP


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One further aspect I will mention here. Given that the school of creationis open to all, the Cappadocian believed in line with St. Paul (cf. Romans1, 19-20; 2, 14) that virtue could be achieved both in the lives of pagansand the people separated from the Church (Hexaemeron, 5.7, PG 29, 112BC).Continuing the main trends of the early Christian approaches to paganphilosophy, this conviction (already illustrated by St. BasilsAddress to theYouth) confirms how effective the theological school of creation is, in itspotential to prepare all nations and cultures for the encounter with Christ,the creator Logos. The Cappadocians elaborations on the world as atheological school are consonant with a sense of an all-embracing, pan-Christian humanism that transcends religious and cultural boundaries.

The World as an Interactive Framework in

Homilies on the Hexaemeron and On the Holy Spirit

From the multitude of themes pertaining to the ecclesial worldview ad-dressed by St. Basil, let us now turn to his depiction of the interactiveaspect of created reality. For him, rather than representing an object closedin itself and self-sufficient, the world is an open field where both divineand cosmic rays creatively interact.

Ontologically inconsistent and thus naturally mortal, the universecannot survive and evolve of itself, without the vivifying waves andsupport of the divine energy, the Creators power (J *L


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[The earth] was in painful labours (*\


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same metaphor in Genesis, 1, 2, St. Basil preferred a Syriac version pre-senting the Spirit as an ecosystemic agent who

thoroughly warmed up (FLV:g


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ongoing process, interpreted as an interactive experience, is thoroughlyexplored by St. Basil in his treatise On the Holy Spirit, the last major textpublished by the Cappadocian and a tremendously significant work onthe meaning of tradition.

According to St. Basil, it is in the Holy Spirit as both a source of lifeand holiness, that the entire divine economy concerning the world reachesfulfilment. There is no space within the confines of creation deprived ofthe Spirits presence; there is no being that has not its origin in the workof the Spirit; there is no perfection of creation outside the life-giving andenlightening energy of the Spirit. Co-worker with the Logos in the makingof the universe, the Spirit immediately answers the creations thirst forthe fullness of being, for life and sacredness. This, in turn, indicates that

nothing can attain perfection without the divine gift of the Spirit.Representing in itself a succinct treatise on the identity and economy

of the Spirit, chapter 9 ofOn the Holy Spirit depicts the multitude of graceshe bestows upon creation:

[All things are] watered by his breath and helped on to reachtheir proper and natural purpose (J @6g@< 6" 6"J NbF4

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Doru Costache - Approaching the Christian Worldview